But the share is higher in most of the 50 biggest areas. And many of the areas with high rents are surprisingly affordable, relative to others, because incomes are also high.

Click through this gallery to see all of the 50 largest areas, by number of households, ranked in order of the share of renters who cannot afford the U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. Tiebreakers are rent as a share of median income and income needed to afford fair market rent, in that order.

We start with No. 50. Tacoma, where an estimated 51 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $38,560, which is 103 percent of median income.

Photo: PHIL H. WEBBER, Seattlepi.com File

Just over half of U.S. renter households can't afford a typical...

Just over half of U.S. renter households can't afford a... Photo-4314066.58266 - SFGate

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49. Seattle: An estimated 51 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $44,160, 104 percent of median income.

48. Las Vegas: An estimated 52 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $42,560, 106 percent of median income.

47. Houston: An estimated 54 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $37,800, 109 percent of median income.

46. Denver: An estimated 54 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $37,600, 108 percent of median income.

Photo: Doug Pensinger, Getty Images

46. Denver: An estimated 54 percent of renters are unable to afford...

45. San Jose, Calif.: An estimated 54 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $64,400, 108 percent of median income.

Photo: Kurt Rogers, The Chronicle

45. San Jose, Calif.: An estimated 54 percent of renters are unable...

44. Vallejo-Fairfield, Calif.: An estimated 54 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $46,640, 109 percent of median income.

43. Middlesex-Somerset-Hunterdon, N.J.: An estimated 54 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $56,800, 110 percent of median income.

42. Orlando, Fla.: An estimated 54 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $39,320, 113 percent of median income.

41. Chicago: An estimated 54 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $38,640, 114 percent of median income.

40. Richmond, Va.: An estimated 55 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $39,160, 114 percent of median income.

39. Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, Va.: An estimated 55 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $45,440, 114 percent of median income.

38. Reno, Nev.: An estimated 56 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $38,120, 116 percent of median income.

37. Worcester, Mass.: An estimated 56 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $38,640, 116 percent of median income.

36. Jersey City, N.J.: An estimated 56 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $52,880, 116 percent of median income.

35. Austin, Texas: An estimated 57 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $42,000, 117 percent of median income.

34. Port St. Lucie, Fla.: An estimated 57 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $37,600, 118 percent of median income.

33. Sarasota, Fla.: An estimated 57 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $41,080, 119 percent of median income.

32. Riverside, Calif.: An estimated 58 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $44,640, 120 percent of median income.

31. Sacramento: An estimated 58 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $42,920, 121 percent of median income.

30. Newark, N.J.: An estimated 58 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $48,080, 123 percent of median income.

29. Oakland-Fremont, Calif.: An estimated 59 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $54,440, 124 percent of median income.

28. Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, Calif.: An estimated 59 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $59,960, 125 percent of median income.

27. West Palm Beach, Fla.: An estimated 59 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $47,320, 126 percent of median income.

26. Baltimore: An estimated 60 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $50,040, 126 percent of median income.

25. Orange County, Calif.: An estimated 60 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $64,840, 126 percent of median income.

24. San Francisco: An estimated 60 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $71,800, 126 percent of median income.

Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle

24. San Francisco: An estimated 60 percent of renters are unable to...

23. Stockton, Calif.: An estimated 60 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $39,880, 128 percent of median income.

22. Hartford, Conn.: An estimated 60 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $44,040, 128 percent of median income.

21. Stamford-Norwalk, Conn.: An estimated 60 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $65,920, 129 percent of median income.

20. Poughkeepsie, N.Y.: An estimated 60 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $48,440, 130 percent of median income.

19. Nassau-Suffolk, N.Y.: An estimated 60 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $63,320, 132 percent of median income.

18. Washington D.C.: An estimated 60 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $56,480, 133 percent of median income.

17. Modesto, Calif.: An estimated 62 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $37,640, 130 percent of median income.

16. San Diego: An estimated 62 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $55,280, 132 percent of median income.

15. Santa Rosa, Calif.: An estimated 62 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $53,280, 133 percent of median income.

14. Santa Barbara, Calif.: An estimated 62 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $57,040, 133 percent of median income.

13. Westchester County, N.Y.: An estimated 62 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $58,720, 137 percent of median income.

12. Fort Lauderdale, Fla.: An estimated 63 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $49,440, 134 percent of median income.

11. Trenton, N.J.: An estimated 63 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $48,240, 137 percent of median income.

10. Bergen-Passaic, N.J.: An estimated 63 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $58,000, 137 percent of median income.

9. Philadelphia: An estimated 63 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $44,760, 138 percent of median income.

8. Boston: An estimated 63 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $57,760, 139 percent of median income.

7. New York: Monmouth, Ocean, N.J.: An estimated 64 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $58,960, 146 percent of median income.

6. Monmouth-Ocean, N.J.: An estimated 65 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $56,400, 144 percent of median income.

5. Los Angeles: An estimated 67 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $56,840, 151 percent of median income.

4. Lawrence, Mass.: An estimated 67 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $44,600, 154 percent of median income.

3. Honolulu: An estimated 69 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $73,320, 142 percent of median income. This is the highest rent in the nation.

2. New Haven, Conn.: An estimated 70 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $52,640, 162 percent of median income.

1. Miami: An estimated 71 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at U.S. Department of Housing fair market rent. This rent requires an income of $44,880, 164 percent of median income.

Photo: Getty Images

1. Miami: An estimated 71 percent of renters are unable to afford a...